GENE HOPE FOR 2m DIABETES SUFFERERS; DNA link to type 2 illness holds key to new treatments.

Byline: John von Radowitz

A GENE that controls the way the body responds to insulin has been identified, marking a breakthrough in the fight against diabetes.

Scientists believe a variation in the gene's DNA promotes resistance to the hormone, which is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes.

The disease is the most common form of diabetes, affecting around two million people in the UK.

The discovery could lead to new drug treatments that target the genetic fault and prevent the body failing to respond to insulin.

The hormone controls the way cells absorb glucose from the blood and use it to generate energy. In type 2 diabetes insulin often continues to be produced but it cannot be used properly.

The new genetic link, the first known to involve insulin resistance, was found after scientists screened the DNA of more than 14,000 people.

They identified thousands of variations in the genetic code that were associated with the disease, finally whittling them down to one with the greatest effect. This appeared to influence a gene called insulin receptor substrate 1, or IRS1.

Tests on the skeletal muscle of a pair of Danish twins confirmed the connection.

One of the twins had diabetes, suffered from insulin resistance, and also had the IRS1 genetic variation.

Professor Philippe Froguel, one of the researchers from Imperial College London, said: "We are very excited about these results - this is the first genetic evidence that a defect in the way insulin works in muscles can contribute to diabetes.

"Muscle tissue needs to make more energy using glucose than other tissues.

"We think developing a treatment for diabetes that improves the way insulin works in the muscle could really help people with type 2 diabetes.

"Our study provides scientists with a straightforward target for a new drug to treat type 2 diabetes."

The research is published today in the journal Nature Genetics.

BREAKTHROUGH COULD BEAT ALZHEIMER'S

A BREAKTHROUGH in Alzheimer's ressearch could cut the chances of developing the illness by a fifth.

Scientists have discovered two genes which influence the likelihood of being struck down by the disease. By ensuring these genes function properly - and produce chemicals which protect the brain and allow nerves to transmit signals - experts believe they can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.

A two-year study - involving analysis of DNA from 16,000 people - found that the genes CLU and PICALM play a crucial role in warding off Alzheimer's, which affects around 417,000 people in the UK.

DUKE'S DECLINE: Page 12